1. Field of the Invention
The present invention refers to the field of treadmills and in particular to a curved treadmill.
2. Description of the Related Art
As is known, a curved treadmill is a motor-less exercise machine that can be manually actuated by the user by means of the interactions of the lower limbs with the running/walking belt.
A curved treadmill typically comprises a base on which a frame is mounted with handles extended vertically with respect to the base.
The base is extended along a direction of longitudinal development parallel to the direction of user advancement during the walk or run.
The base comprises a first front roller and a second rear roller, around which the running/walking belt is windingly mounted.
The belt for the running/walking of the user is mounted on the first front roller and on the second rear roller in a manner such that it has, in the part directed upward, a lateral profile that is curved along the direction of longitudinal development of the base and with respect thereto; that is, it has a first portion that is descending starting from the first roller and a second portion, opposite the first portion, that is ascending towards the second roller.
During the run or walk of the user on the running/walking belt, the weight force exerted by the user at the first descending portion of the running/walking belt allows transforming the potential energy into kinetic energy, and consequently generating the rotation of the running/walking belt only through the interaction of the lower limbs of the user with the running/walking belt.
The above-described curved treadmill has the disadvantage that the user can only perform simple walking or running, hence a limited number of physical exercises.
Today, there is instead a strong need to be able to provide exercise machines, hence also treadmills, which are as versatile as possible, in a manner so as to ensure that a user can perform, even using only one exercise machine (hence with limited costs), the greatest possible number of physical exercises, even diversified from each other: in the cardiovascular field as well as in the muscular strength and force field.